The History of Shutters Part 1

The History of Shutters Part 1

Before they were placed on the exterior of our properties in order to deter vandals and thieves from entering without permission, shutters came in a very different format. After all, they date back several centuries! In order to understand them a little better the ABC team have decided to put together a brief two part blog series on the history of the shutter…

The First Shutter

During Tudor England and Elizabeth the First’s reign it was actually common for homes to have a wooden shutter installed however these were created using a solid wooden board. Plus, they were only designed in order to cover the bottom half of the windows which didn’t have glass. After all, during this time glass was a luxury that many couldn’t afford so only the top half would utilise it.

The 1700’s

It was the 18th century that people began to installed glass on both the top and bottom of their windows and due to this, the shutters developed in order to cover the entirety of the opening. Most buildings in this era were made from stone meaning that they were very thick and since it was too difficult to reach outside the shutters were often placed indoors.

The Victorian Era

During the reign of Queen Victoria homes were being built from timber which meant that they were increasingly thinner. Due to this, the shutters made their way back on to the exterior of many homes.

Controlling Light and Air

As time went on the addition of a shutter became visual as well as practical. For example, many homes would have them installed in order to protect the glass from damage however they also deterred people from trying to cause damage. On the other hand the introduction of the steam train and rapid industrialisation meant that the air supply suffered. As a result, sophistication was brought to shutters as horizontal slats were used in order to provide cleaner ventilation.

It is evident that the shutters we know today are not as adapt and efficient as the one’s our ancestors once knew. In fact, they have even had a change of purpose since they are no longer used in order to control the flow of light and air and the roller shutters of the 21st century are crafted from high quality materials in order to protect the exterior of your home. To find out more information, get in contact with a member of the team and be sure to check out part two of our blog series!